The present invention relates to the field of providing applications to various devices. More particularly, the present invention provides transformation of applications based on type of device requesting an application.
With the advent of technology, information is now readily accessible via various resources. A significant resource that is widely used for accessing information is the Internet. The Internet was earlier accessed only using a personal computer, with a good processing speed and a relatively large display size. Over the past few years, technologists and business organizations have realized the need for people to stay connected with the rest of the world through various portable devices that are available with them. One of the methods for ensuring real time information access using portable devices is providing for internet access through mobile phones.
Communication Service Providers (CSPs) are transforming their network and service infrastructure to provide “quadruple play” (voice, video, data and mobile) services to subscribers of mobile services. To monetize on their investments in infrastructure, CSPs today need applications to retain their subscriber base and also to attract new subscribers. Over the years, applications that have transformed people's lives started out as web-based applications. For example, web-based applications such as e-commerce applications, applications for hosting auctions, video sharing applications and social networking applications have their roots in the Internet. Developing and deploying new applications for computers is relatively easier compared to doing the same for mobile and/or television networks. The main reason is that access to Mobile and Television networks is very tightly controlled by the service provider and the technology to deliver a similar experience is not yet matured.
When an application becomes successful on the web, the CSPs who own the mobile and television networks (as part of their quadruple play) would like to provide a similar application on their mobile and television networks as well, but with few targeted features. In addition to replicating the web applications, CSPs would also like to provide newer categories of applications specific to TV and Mobile. For example, RSS feeds of important news from various websites, storefront to purchase video, social networking etc. By doing this, telecom operators would be able to exploit the convergence in access technology by giving their subscribers option to access various applications from computer while at office, mobile phones during transit, and TV while at home and also provide differentiated user experience for each type of application.
In some scenarios, an application may be requested by disparate devices having different operating platforms and user interfaces. Depending on the type of device requesting the application, the application may be customized for specific platforms, such as, mobile and television platforms. This approach is likely to have good quality because applications are developed from scratch keeping the requirements and constraints of the platforms on which they would be deployed, in mind. However, such an approach is quite expensive in terms of skilled resources which are required and in terms of time it would take to reach the market.
Consequently, there is a need for a method and a system that provides similar applications to various devices with minimal human intervention. Further there is a need to reduce the cost and delay in providing applications to users of devices.